Mobile Number Portability (MNP) means you can keep your mobile phone number if you decide to move from one mobile service provider to another. Basically, it’s a service that allows you to keep your mobile number irrespective of the mobile service provider you use.

You will be able to port your mobile number to another mobile service provider within Rwanda. However, you will not be able to port a fixed number to a new mobile service nor will you be able to port a mobile number to a new fixed service.

So, if you port (or switch) between mobile service providers, you don’t have to go to the trouble of advising all your friends, family and colleagues that your number has changed – it stays the same.

You will be able to use the Rwanda MNP service from 11th May 2026, initially just in Kigali. The service is available from 8am to 8pm Monday to Saturday, excluding Public Holidays.

The service is available for porting between the Airtel, KtRN, and MTN mobile networks.

MNP is available to “Post-paid” mobile customers and “Pre-paid” mobile customers, as long as the number has not been barred, restricted, suspended, reported stolen/ lost to the current mobile service provider or subscribes to an Eligible Debt product or service designated by RURA with the current mobile service provider.

If the current mobile service or product has been designated as “Eligible Debt” by RURA, the customer will be required to pay the outstanding debt to their current mobile service provider before proceeding with their porting request. Products designated as “Eligible Debt” can be found at www.rura.rw/mnp/eligibledebt.

Post-paid mobile customers wishing to port may be refused by their current mobile service provider if they have one or more bills that are overdue, or the current mobile service product been designated as “Eligible Debt” by RURA or their outstanding account balance exceeds the deposit held by their current mobile service provider.

Post-paid mobile customers who port will receive a final bill for usage up to the time their number is ported to the new mobile service provider which must be paid by the due date. Further, Post-paid mobile customers who have not completed the minimum contract term with their existing service provider will be required to pay the outstanding balance of monthly rentals due under the contract after their number has been ported. In addition, if the current mobile service product has been designated as “Eligible Debt” by RURA, the customer will be required to pay the outstanding debt to their current mobile service provider before proceeding with their porting request.

Pre-paid mobile customers who port will not be able to transfer any airtime credit balance to the new service provider’s account (subscribers are therefore advised to use any remaining credit balance before porting).

There are no porting charges for you to port your mobile number. All porting (or switching) charges are paid by the mobile service providers.

However, your current provider may charge for standard SIM card price or to unlock your handset, if it is locked, once you have ported your number to the new mobile service provider.

You should check with your current provider if a handset unlocking charge will apply before you start the porting process.

1. Go to the authorized service point of your chosen new mobile service provider to request a new mobile account and tell them that you would like to port your current mobile number.
2. The Operator representative will ask you to complete and sign their new subscriber application form together with the Porting Request Form.
3. You will be asked to provide: –
   1. SIM card should be registered under your own ID or Passport (for foreigners);
   2. photographic proof of identity accepted under RURA’s SIM Registration Regulations;
   3. the proof of identity should be the same as the one registered with your current service provider;
   4. in the case of a post-paid account, a copy of the latest mobile bill which is less than one month old; and
   5. the working phone with the number you wish to keep.
4. You will then be asked to send an SMS saying “PORT” from your phone to “4444”, the dedicated porting number. Operator representative will be able to help you to do this if required. Once you have sent this SMS you cannot cancel or postpone your porting request; it must proceed to completion. Therefore, be certain you want to port before sending the SMS.
5. You will then receive an SMS confirming that your porting request has been received.
6. Your order will be processed, and you will be informed of its progress by SMS.
7. Under normal circumstances your port will be completed within one working day after you SMS your request. At that time your mobile number is moved to your new mobile service provider. You will receive an SMS asking you to change to your new provider’s SIM card and your old provider’s SIM card will have stopped working. During busy periods the port may take a little longer to complete.
8. When this happens, put the new SIM card provided by your new mobile service provider into the phone you wish to use. If you are unsure how to do this, you can go into the authorized service point of your new mobile service provider, and they should be able to help. Your service will only be briefly interrupted for the time it takes to insert the new SIM card and power up your phone.
9. The porting process is complete.

• Your statutory or consumer rights are not affected.
• Pre-paid customers will lose any unused credit balance held with the previous provider at the time the mobile number is ported and pre-paid customers are therefore advised to use their credit balances before they port their number.
• SMS/MMS messages which have been sent to you, but not delivered, may be lost.
• You will lose your old voicemail, SMS, MMS and ancillary services, and you will need to set these up again with your new mobile service provider.
• Your new mobile service provider may not offer some services and features that you enjoy with your current mobile service provider.
• Your friends and family may be charged differently when calling you after you port your number. Additional information on applicable rates may be obtained from your new mobile service provider.
• Pre-Paid customers with a debt or loan outstanding with their current operator may be allowed to port their number provided their current mobile service has not been designated as “Eligible Debt” by RURA. Pre-Paid customers with a debt or loan outstanding who are permitted to port will be required to pay all outstanding Pre-Paid debt to their current operator within 14 days after the porting request is completed.
• Post-paid customers must pay the final bill sent by their previous mobile service provider within 30 days of receipt.
• Post-paid customers whose current mobile service product has been designated as “Eligible Debt” by RURA will be required to pay the outstanding debt to their current mobile service provider before proceeding with their porting request.
• If you are dissatisfied with your new mobile service provider, you can ask your new service provider to allow you to reverse the port within seven (7) days of completing your port, known as the “Cooling Off Period”. Once the 7 day Cooling Off Period has expired you will not be able to make a new porting request for a further 83 days, i.e. 90 days in total after the completion of your previous port.
• You will retain your existing mobile wallet with the old mobile financial services operator and continue to use all the related existing mobile financial services without disruption via the new mobile service provider.

No. Your old mobile service provider is not allowed to contact you during and after the porting process.

Once the porting process is complete, your old mobile service provider is only permitted to contact you to recover any outstanding amounts.

If you have any questions or experience any problems with your porting request, you should refer these to your new mobile service provider who will be pleased to assist.

If you feel that either mobile service provider has breached the terms of the mobile number portability service, you can file a complaint with RURA by calling 3988 (toll free).

Frequently Asked Questions and further information about the MNP service can be found at www.rura.rw/mnp.